sell and â—â—ye for your selues But whyles they went to buy the brydegrome â—â—e and they that were ready â—â—at in with him vnto the mariage â—â—d the gate was shutte vp Anon after came the other virgins and saiâ— Lord Lord open to vs. But he ansâ—red and sayd Verily I say vnto youâ— know you not Watch therfore for know neyther the day nor yet the hâ—wer wherin the Sonne of man shâ— come Luk. 12.35 Let your loynes be girded abouâ— and your lightes burning and ye yoâ—â—selues like vnto men that waight fâ—â— their master when he wil return froâ— the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh ye may open vnto him For happy are those seruantes whoâ— the Lorde when hée commeth findetâ— waking If he come in the secoÌ„d watch or third watch finde theÌ„ so happy arâ— those seruantes Verely he shall gâ—â—â— him selfe and shall make them to sâ—â— downe to meate shall walke by and minister vnto them Luk. 12.39 This vnderstand you If the good man of the house knew what howre the théefe would come hée would surely watch and not suffer his house to be broken vp Euen so if we knewe in what day or hower the Lord would come we would surely watch we would be prepared and adourned â—e would haue lightes in our handes 〈◊〉 oyle in our Lampes But we doe â—t know the day nor hower nor shal â—now And therfore let vs be prepared 〈◊〉 man hower that we thinke not Mar. 13.35 wil â—e sonne of man come Watch I say 〈◊〉 ye know not when the maister of â—â—e house will come whether at euen â— at midnight whether at the cocke â—wing or in the dawning least if hée â—â—me sodeÌ„ly he should find you sléeping Now if the euill seruant shall say thus 〈◊〉 his heart Math. 24.48 Tush my maister will deâ—â—re his comming and shall begin to â—â—uite his fellow seruants and shall begâ—n to eat and drink and to be dronken â—â—e same seruants Lord shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hower when he is not ware shall geue him his portion with hypocrites there shal be wéeping and gnashing of â—â—eth But contrariwise Luke 12.44 if the Lord shal find his seruaÌ„t wel doing he shal make him ruler ouer al his houshold Watch therefore and pray continually that we may obtein grace to flee al that shalâ— come and that we may staÌ„d before thâ— sonne of man Let vs pray that our flight be not in the winter nor on thâ— the Sabboth day Mat. 24. â—0 For so our Sauiour counselleth in the 24. of Saint Mathewe For to walke in the winter it was not good and vppon the Sabboth day it was not lawefull Meaning that we should pray and that with a stedfast and ardent fayth that the day of the Lord come not vppon vs vnprepared For if it doe wée shall not escape the euilles that then shal be nor yet be able to stande safely before the Sonne of man Beloued we haue bene warned to leaue our surfetting dronkennesse and to forsake the superfluous cares of this life We haue bene exhorted to watchfulnesse and to prayer and stil are we called vpon for these matters Howbeit wée are lyttle or nothing the better Mat. 12 4â— The men of Niniue shall arise at the day of iudgement to condemne vs. For they amended at the short preaching of Ionas We haue bene called vpon with often and long â—â—eaching and yet cannot frame to lay â—râ—m vs the old man Ephe. 4.22 that marreth him seâ—fe with deceiuable vanities But let vâ— thinke and beléeue that the negleâ—ting of Gods holy spirit speaking in his prophets can not but prouoke Gods heauie wrath and indignation spedily to bée powred vppon vs. The heauens the earth and sea haue already witnessed the same against vs which vnlesse wée conuert in the measure of our sinnes he will power foorth vpon vs and so wee shall perish in his iustice vtterly that in mercy refused to imbrace his trueth obediently Mat. 3.10 Now is the axe put to the roote of the trée so that euery trée that bringeth not forth gâ—â—d fruite shall bée hewen downe Mat. 12.33 and cast into the fire Eyther then make the trée good and his fruit good or make the trée euill and his fruite â—ill also For beholde Iames. 5.9 the Iudge standeth before the dore It is tyme for vs to awake out of sléepe and to gyrde vp our loynes and to be ready with oyle in our lampes and to be adorne with our wedding garments that wâ— may finde entraunce to the Lords marriage For sith it is most certaine thaâ— Christ shall come to iudge both quicâ— and dead Rom. 14.12 sith that euery one of vs shal geue account of him self to God 2. Pe. 3.10 sith thâ— heauens shal passe away in manner 〈◊〉 a tempest sith the elements shall meâ—â— with heate sith the earth also and thâ— workes therein shal burne sith al thesâ— things shall perishe what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God 〈◊〉 which the heauens shall perish with â—â—er the elemeÌ„ts shal be consumed with heate â— Pe. 3.13 Neuerthelesse we looke for a new heauen and a newe earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Wherfore beloued séeing we looke for such things let vs be diligent that we may be found of him in peace without spot and vndefiled growing in grace in the knowledge of the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ that in the ende of the world when he shall come in 〈◊〉 clowds with power and great gloâ— we perish not with the vnbeléeuers which the Lord graunt for his infinite â—ercy and goodnesse and for his chosen â—â—â—e shorten these vnhappy dayes that â—â—rruptible may be swallowed vp of inâ—â—rruptibilitie and mortall of immorâ—â—â—lity And that as in this woful Egypt â—e haue fouÌ„d him a louing father so in â—he world to come we may behold him â— merciful Sauiour Mat. 25.34 may receiue that 〈◊〉 and happiest blessing that neuer again shal be reuoked which thing likewise the father of al comfort and consolation spéedily bring vpon vs al for the tender loue of his beloued sonne Iesus Christ to whome with the holy ghost thrée distinct persons in trinitie but one eternal immortal most glorious God be al praise honour glory now and for euer Amen
A SERMON preached in S. Peters Church in Exceter the 6. day of December last wherin is intreated of the second comming of â—hrist vnto iudgement of the end of the world By Iohn Chardon maister of Art and preacher of the word of God 1. Pet. 4. vers 7. Novv the end of all things is at hand Be ye therfore sober and vvatching in prayer Jmprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson 1580. To the right worshipfull Sir Gawen Carew Knight Iohn Chardon wisheth prosperity in this lyfe and in Christ Iesus our sauiour lyfe euerlasting I Had no sooner ended this Sermon rightworshipful but some of my very familiar friends wished and in maner vrged me to coÌ„mend the same â—o you or to the good Lady your wife vnto whose request I thought good the rather to yeeld for that I knewe right well what stoare you made of the Word Mat. 13.46 being a pearle of greate price a rich treasure and â—n incomparable Iewell Mat. 13.44 the very â—ode of mans soule the sworde of â—he spirit Eph. 6.17 Heb. 4.12 more sharpe thaÌ„ any two â—dged swoorde which entreth â—hrough euen vnto the deuiding sunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and the maroâ— In consideration whereof I offâ— this my poore trauell vnto you praying you to accept the same as token of my good wil. And albeâ— I cannot compare with the rich who of their superfluities are won to adde vnto the offerings of God yet I of my penurie am willing with the poore widowe Luk. 21.2 to cast iâ— the substance I haue euen the mitâ— to the augmentation of the treasury of the Lord. Which if I perceaue to be accepted your worship shall encourage mee to greater trauelles And so I betake you to the Lorde Heuytre The second of Ianuary 1579. Yours in the Lord to be commanded I. Chardon Hosea 4.1 AVdite verbum Domini filij Israël quia iudiciuÌ„ domino cum habitatoribus terrae non est enim â—â—ritas non est misericordia non est scientia Dei in terra Maledictum mendacium homiciâ—â—â— furtum adulterium inundauerunt â—â—â—guis sanguinem tetigit Propter hoc lugebit terâ—a infirmabitur omnis qui habitat in ea Hoseae 12.2 â—â—dicium dominicum Iuda visitatio super Iacob â—â—â—ra vias eius Ergo quìd euigilas nummorum condere saccoâ— QuÃdue modus rabidae nullus auaritiae Quid gestis cupidè terras coniungere terris Quìd te Mammonae possidet alta sitis Quìd tibi concilias tam largo foenore nummos Quìd spolias fratres non miserande tuos Quìd iugulas teneros quos Christus diligit agnos Ioan. 13.1 Quìd Christo charas perdite perdis oues Quid non mendaces quìd non mendacia linquis Quìd violas magni iussa tremenda Dei Quid tua non linquis periuria furta rapinas Quìd tua sic lacerat liuida lingua bonos Quìd sic scortaris quìd non piget ire Corinthuâ—â—â— Quìd fuscant oculos blanda venena tuos Quìd non emendas mores vestigia gressus Quì sibi vult tantus cultus amórque mali Quìd sic decurris furiosae more iuuencae Quìd tollis cristas terra cinÃsque tuas Quìd sic defectu miserorum corporalanguent Horrea frumento quìd tua plena iacent Quìd non producis granorum durus aceruos Quìd sepelis tanti munera tanta Dei Quìd Lazarum spernis quem morte redemit Iesus â—â—ke 16.21 QuÃdue tui superant te pietate canes Quìd non scripturas voluis medicamina vitae Quìd non sacratum voluis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Volue reuolue precor sic disces iussa Iehouae Sic bene compones ordine quaeque suo Dudum terra fuit subito concussa tremore Aduentus magni tessera certa Dei Io. Chardonâ—s Vigilate igitur Mar. 13.35 nescitis enim quando dominus domus veniet vespere an media nocte an in gallicinio an manè ne quum repentè venerit inueniat vos dormientes 〈◊〉 5.9 Quae autem dico vobis omnibus dico vigilate Index ante ianuam adstat 〈◊〉 22.20 Dicit qui testatur ista Etiam venio citò Amen Etiam veni domine Iesu Luke 21. vers 25. THere shal be signes in the Sunne in the Moone and in the starres in the earth the people shal bee at theyr â—ittes end through dispaire The sea the water shal roare and mens hartes shall faile them for feare and for looking after those thinges which shall come on the earth for the powers of heauen shal moue And then shall they see the sonne of man come in a cloude with power great glory When these thinges begin to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth nye And he shewed them a similitude Behold the figge tree and al other trees when they shoote foorth theyr buddes ye see and knowe of your owne selues that sommer is then nigh at hande So likewyse ye also when ye see these thinges come to passe bee sure that the kingdom of God is nigh Verily I say vnto you this generation shal not passe til al bee fulfilled Heauen and earth shal passe but my wordes shal not passe Take heed to your selues lest your hartes bee oueâ— come with surfetting drunkennese and cares of this life and that that daâ— come not on you vnwares For as 〈◊〉 snare shal it come on al them that dweâ— on the earth Watch therfore continually and pray that you may obtaynâ— grace to flee al this that shal come anâ— that you may stand before the sonne oâ— man THis Gospel beloued intreateth oâ— the second comming of our Sauiour Iesus Christe vnto 〈◊〉 iudgement it confirmeth that article of our fayth by which we confesse and beleeue that the same Iesus which take fleshe of the virgin which suffered vnder Pontius Pilate which was buried which rose againe the thirde day from the dead and which ascended into heauen shal come againe at the end of the world to iudge the quicke the dead when all that are in the graues shall â—eâ—re the voice of the Sonne of God Iohn 5. â—9 â—â—d shal come foorth they that haue â—â—ne good to the resurrection of life â—â—d they that haue done euil to the resurrection of damnation Wherof our Sauiour tooke occasion to speake by â—eason of the talke that he had with his â—â—sciples about the temple of IerusaleÌ„ For when the disciples wondered at â—he gorgeous decking of the Temple with goodly stones and costly iewels â—â—e sayd that the time shoulde come Luke 21. â— in which it should be destroied that there should not be left one stone vpon anoâ—â—er that should not be throweÌ„ down Then the disciples asked him saying Maister when shal these things be And â—hie tolde them of certain signes and tokens which should goe before
after the things that shal come vâ—pon the earth For the powers of heâ—uen shal moue These fiue signes shâ— goe before the comming of Christ vnâ— iudgement First there shal be signâ— in the Sunne and in the Moone and â— the starres that is as S. Marke wrâ—teth Mar. 13.24 The Sunne shal be darkened thâ— Moone shal not giue her light and tâ— starres of heauen shall séeme to fall Secondly in the earth the people shalâ— be at their wittes end thorow dispainâ— That is as S. Marke againe doeth uâ—terprete Mar. 13.8 Nation shall rise against nation and kingdome against kingdome Thirdly the sea and the water shal 〈◊〉 roare that is there shalbée cruell tempestes vehement and vnaccustomed â—â—â—des Fourthly by reason of these â—ens hartes shal faile them for feare 〈◊〉 looking after the thinges that shall â—ne vpoÌ„ the earth Fiftly the powers â—f heauen shal moue that is there shall â—ee straunge sightes in the heauen and â—n the earth there shal bee earthquakes 〈◊〉 al quarters Briefly the heauen the â—â—rth and sea shal witnes and declare the day of the lord to be at hand Now beloued wée our selues may witnesse that most of these signes and tokens â—re passed alreadie For wée haue séene â—traÌ„ge Eclipses of the Sunne moone â—ée haue séene nation to rise against â—â—tion and kingdome to rise against kingdome we haue heard of cruel tempestes vehement and vnaccustomed â—indes with other strange thinges And therfore wée may iustly prognosticat yea and beléeue that the ends of the worlde are come vppon vs and that it wil not be long before Christ wil come vnto iudgement Beholde sayeth our sauiour the figge tree and all other trees when they shoote foorth the buddes ye see and know of your owâ— selues that sommer is nigh at hand 〈◊〉 likewyse yee also when yee see the things to come to passe be ye sure thâ— the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand But wée haue séene most of these come to passe and therfore let vs thiâ— no otherwyse but that the kingdom God is nigh at hand and that the lorâ— is ready to take his fanne in his haÌ„d Mat. 3.12 purge his floore to gather his wherâ— into his barne and to burne the chaâ— with vnquenchable fire Other tokeâ— there are besides these to prooue vnâ— vs that the end of the world hangeth â—uer our neckes among which in iâ— iudgement the preaching of the Gâ—pel is not the least For as our saâ—â—â— sayeth in the 24. chapter after the Gâ—pel of S. Mathewe Mat. 24.14 The Gospel of 〈◊〉 Kingdom shal be preached thorow eâ— the world for a witnes vnto al nation and then shal the end come By whâ— words the Sonne of man doth plaiâ— declare that about the time of tâ— worldes destruction the true and comfortable doctrine of Christ shoulde bée preached Whereby it is gathered that the same was obscured and darkened almost defaced by reason of the false Prophetes Apostles afore that time But nowe againe by the vnspeakeable grace and mercy of God we do plainly perceaue such a cleare light of the Gospel to shyne ouer the whole world that in spite of the deuil and his adherents it casteth his bright beames ouer al nations And therefore what other thing may wee looke for but as Christ did foretel a sodaine downfal of this miserable and wretched world Another token of the ouerthrow of the world is because wee doe plainely perceaue all things dayly to wax worse and worse and to decrease in their vertue For example The ayre is oftentimes corrupt sometime with vntimely showres sometime with vnprofitable drynesse nowe with too much colde and nowe with extreame heate The fruitfulnes of the earth is not such as it hath béene afore tyme. Moreouer wée may thinkâ— and perceaue the foundations of the world to be worne out and the same to bée falling vppon our shoulders wheâ— we sensibly perceaue our selues to liâ—â— in those daies of which our Sauiour hath foreshewed I meane eating anâ— drinking marrying and married buying and selling planting and building For neuer more did men eate drinke neuer did they faster marry wyues iâ— the dayes of Noe neuer more did they buy and sell plant and builde in thâ— dayes of Lot than they doe now which may prooue vnto vs that the endes oâ— the worlde are come vpon vs. For as our Sauiour sayth After these examples shal it be Luke 17.30 when the Sonne of man shal appeare And if wée compare thâ— tyme present with that which is past and set the manners of men before our eyes wée shal perceaue wickednesse to haue his ripenes and to raigne almost euery where without coÌ„trolment For notwithstanding that God thorot Aâ— vnspeakeable mercy in these latter dayes hath giuen vs the vse of his most â—ly worde whereby we shoulde frame â—â—r lastes and affections according to 〈◊〉 most holy will what desire of righâ—â—usnesse what loue of vertue what â—â—â—e of godlynesse or what zeale of reâ—â—â—ion is there to bée founde yea who is â—â—t in Christianitie eyther colde or â—arelesse Wée may nowe plainely see greatest vice to bée counted for chiefest â—ertue and those men to bée most commended which of al other for impietie â—â—ght most to bée dispraysed For the â—rafty deceitful men are counted wise â—he couetous are called good husbands â—he prodigal are called liberal and rich men are déemed the best men Besides S. Paule foresheweth that in the last dayes shal come perillous tymes 2. Tim. 3.1 For men saieth hée shal be louers of themselues couetous bosters proude curâ—â— speakers disobedient to father and â—â—ther vnthankeful vnholy vnkind 〈◊〉 so foorth And when did men more â—et by themselues When were they â—â—re couetous When were they more proude when more giuen to cursed speaking when more disobedient to father and mother when more vnthankful when more vnholy when more vnkinde And to bée short when more geuen ouer to worke wickednes Eph. 4.16 that with al kind of gréedines then at thesâ— dayes And therfore it must néedes follow the comming of Iesus Christ vnto iudgement to bée nigh at hand Whose comming shal be in a cloude with power great glorie In the first of the Acts Act. 1.9 after the talke that our sauiour had with the Apostles whiles they beheld hee was taken vp and a cloude receaued him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly vp to Heauen as he went behold two men stood by them in white apparel which also said Ye men of Galilee why stande yée gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken from you into Heauen shal so come euen as ye haue séene him to goe into heauen But hée went in a cloude into heauen and therefore hée shal come in a cloude from heauen with power and greate glory euen as â— Paule wryteth in the fourth of the 〈◊〉 Epistle to the Thessalonians 1. Thes 4.16 The â—orde shal descend from
lest they should faint by reason of those troubles which were at hande This doone our Sauiour taketh occasion to speake of the vniuersal and latter iudgement likewise declareth what tokens and â—â—â—es shal goe before the same There shal be sayeth hee signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the starres in the earth the people shal be at theyr wittes ende through dispaire The sea and the water shall roare and men hartes shall faile them for feare and so foorth In which péece of scripture wâ—â— haue to consider First of the comming of Iesus Christ vnto iudgement Secondly of the signes and tokens that shal goe before his comming Thirdly of the maner of his comming Fourthly of the cause of his comming And fiftly how wée ought to order to prepare our selues against his comming It is a thing firmely to be beléeued that God hath set a certain time of the worlds destruction though vnknoweâ— vnto vs bicause by the sinne and wickednes of vngodly men being meruellously polluted and accursed it doth together with all other creatures subiect to the same corruption Rom. 8.22 desire a deliuerance Howbeeit wicked and vngodly men whose delight is to liue carelesly in this worlde suppose that the worlde shal stil continewe as it is and that it â—â—â—l neuer haue end But wonderful is 〈◊〉 and execrable that among the people of God shoulde bée Saducées among Christians such kind of men which of â—et purpose against the manifest worde â—f God dare boldly affirme that the world shal haue no end that there shall â—e no resurrection of the flesh no life after this life no rewarde for wel doing 〈◊〉 punishment for euil doing and that the world as it is now so it hath bene and shal continue for euer Which kind of men are plaine Atheistes men which neither beléeue there is any God or diuine prouidence at all Against which apparant dotage and wicked cogitations of wicked men through want of true knowledge by the instinct of Satan wée haue to arme our selues with the worde of God and to confirme our consciences by the testimonies of holy scripture For the scripture doeth euidently prooue vnto vs that one day the sonne of God Iesus Christ shal come to iudge the quick the dead that all flesh shal rise and that the worlde shal hâ—â— an ende Es 13.9 Esay saieth The day of thâ— Lorde shal come terrible full of indiâ—nation furor and wrath to make thâ— lande waste and to roote out al the siâ—ners that are therin Es 66.15 The lord wil comâ— with fire and his chariots like a whirlewind that he may recompence his anger with wrath his iudgement witâ— the flame of fire for the Lord wil iudgâ— with fire and with his sworde all flesheâ— Daniel sayeth Dan. 7.18 I sawe in a vision bâ— night And beholde there came one iâ— the cloudes of heauen like the sonne â— man to whome was giuen power anâ— dignity regal that all people tribes â— tongues shal serue him Mal. 4.1 Malachy saith The day commeth that shal burne aâ— an ouen and al the proude yea and alâ— such as doe wickednes shal be strawe and the day that is to come shall bunâ— them vpp Psal 96.13 The Prophete Dauid saieth For hee commeth to iudge the earth and with righteousnesse to iudge the worlde and the people with his trueth And this which the Lords forshewed by the mouthes of his holy â—â—phetes our Sauiour Iesus Christ â—â—th confirmed For in the 13. chap. afâ—â—r the gospel of S. Matthewe hée saieth 〈◊〉 Mat. 13.41 The sonne of man shal send forth â—â—s angels which shal gather out of his â—ingdom al things that offende them â—hat do wickednes and shall cast them â—to a fornace of fire there shal be weeâ—ng and gnashing of téeth And there â—e lykeneth the kingdome of heauen to â— draw net cast into the sea Mat. 13.47 which wheÌ„â—t is full men drawe to lande and sit â—wn and gather the good into vessels â—â—t cast the bad away So shall it bée sayeth Christ in the end of the world â—e that there is nothing more certaine â—hen that Christ shal come vnto iudgement Nothing more certain then that the fashion of this worlde shal be changed 1. Cor. 7.29 Rom. 8. â—3 The fashion of this worlde that â—ow is shal vanish Not onely the creature but wee also that nowâ— mourne in our selues and wayte for the adoption of the children of God euen the deliuerance of our bodies shalbée deliuered from the bondage of corruption iâ—â— the glorious liberty of the sonnes â— God at the comming of the Lorde Iâ—sus Christ vnto iudgement Howbeâ— wicked and vngodly men can not bâ— perswaded touching the comming â— Christ vnto iudgement of whome S Peter prophesied long tyme ago 2. Pet. 3. 3. Theâ— shal come saieth hee in the last daye mockers which will walke after they owne lustes and say Where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers dyed all thinges continue in thâ— same estate wherein they were at thâ— beginning But this they knowe not â— that willingly howe that the heauenâ— a great while agoe were and that thâ— earth that was in the water appear â—â— vp out of the water by the word of god by the which things the world that thâ— was perished being ouerrunne with water But the heauens and earth thaâ— now are are kept by the same word in stoare and reserued vnto fire againâ— the day of iudgement and perdition oâ— vngodly men Dearly beloued bée nâ—â— ignorant of this one thing howe that â—e day with the lord is as a thousand â—â—re and a thousand yéere as one day The Lorde that hath promised is not â—ack to fulfil his promise as some men â—â—â—nt slacknes As who should say Let â—â— maÌ„ thinke that therfore Christ shall â—euer come vnto iudgemeÌ„t bycause he â—â—th procrastinate put of for a tyme but let him thinke that he doeth it for that he is patient to vs ward would haue no man lost but would receaue al men to repentance Rom. 2. â— Despisest thou the riches of Gods goodnes patience long sufferance And remembrest thou not howe that the kindnes of God leadeth thée to repentance Which lenitie of â—od if thou doest abuse thou heapest thée together the treasure of wrath against the day of vengeance when shal be opened the righteous iudgement of God which wil rewarde euery man according to his deedes And to the end that this thing might she rather sinke into our hartes and myndes and lest wée shoulde be altogether vnprouided our sauiour hath to â— vs of certaine signes and tokens thâ— shal go before his comming There shâ— be signes saieth hee in the Sunne aâ—â— in the Moone and in the starres and the earth the people shal bee at theâ— wittes end thorowe dispaire The sea the water shall roare and mens hartâ— shall faile them for feare and for loâ—king
heauen with mighty shout with the voyce of the â—rchangel and trumpe of God Such â—albe the manner of the comming of â—esus Christ vnto iudgement And what shall there then ensue S. â—aule sayth Then shal we which liue 〈◊〉 remain be caught vp in the cloudes 〈◊〉 â—â—iete the Lord in the ayre But say â—â—u shall not they that are aliue and â—â—maine in the comming of the Lorde â—nto iudgement dye Yes no dout For â—therwise S. Paule shoulde bée contrarie â— himself in that he sayeth writing to â—he Hebrewes Heb. 9.27 It is decréed that al men â—hal once dye But they that so remain â—nd are aliue in the comming of the Lorde shall not dye by distaunces of â—ymes as they who are spent and conâ—â—ed with diseases and are buried For they shall not bée buried neyther â—hal they dye being wasted and consumed with long sicknes but foorthwith being extinguished forthwith they shâ— be chaunged and shal be caught vp â— the cloudes to méete the Lorde in thâ— ayre Euen as also the Apostle writetâ— in the 15. 1. Cor. 15.51 of the first epistle to the Corinthes We shal not all sleepe but we shal al be chaunged and that in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye aâ— the sounde of the last trumpe Buâ— what shal there become of those bodie which were loosed from the soules before the comming of Christ vnto iudgâ—ment 1. Thes 4.16 Héere S. Paule answereth Thâ— dead in Christ shal first aryse meaninâ— that the bodies that before the comming of Christ vnto iudgement steâ— in the graues shall rise out of thâ— graues at the sounde of the trumpe aâ— the voyce of the Sonne of God 1. Cor. 15.52 Foâ— the trumpe shal blowe the dead shalâ— rise incorruptible they shal be changed For this corruptible shall put 〈◊〉 incorruptibilitie and this mortal shaâ— put on immortalitie And this is thâ— which the Apostle againe concerninâ— this mutation and change writeth tâ— the Philippians Phil. 3.20 Our conuersation is in heauen whence wee looke for the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ which shal change our vile bodies that they may be like to his glorious body according to the mighty working wherby hee is able to subdue all thinges to himselfe And therefore the Saducees haue fouly erred that denyed the resurrection of the dead whereof Iob béeing fully assured saieth thus Iob. 19.25 I knowe that my redeemer liueth and that I shall rise out of the earth in the last day and shal be couered again with my skinne and shal see God in my fleshe yea and shal beholde him not with other but with these same eyes For if there were no resurrection of the dead which the Saducees affirme then mark you what S. Paule inferreth Mat. 22.23 1. Cor. 15.16 if the dead sayeth he rise not againe then is Christ not risen againe If Christ bée not risen againe then is your fayth in vaine and yet are you in your sinnes and they also that are falleÌ„ a sléepe in Christ are perished And if in this life onely wée beléeue on Christ then are wée of al men the most miserable And what auailed the great patience of Christians in al their troubles and cruel persecutions if this doctrine of the consummation of the world and of the comming of the Lord with al that belongeth theretoo were but a vayne imagination of Christ of the prophetes and Apostles and of all the blessed martyrs in the Church of God What did it aduantage the godly of al others in the world most miserable to suffer most cruel tormentes to bée racked Heb. 11.35 to bée stoned to bée hewen asunder to walke vp downe in sheep skinnes and in goates skinnes in néede tribulation and vexation which the worlde was not woorthy of wandring in wildernesses in mountaines in dennes and caues of the earth and woulde not bée deliuered were there not hope to receaue a better resurrection That I haue fought saieth Paule with beastes at Ephesus 1. Cor. 15.32 after the maner of men what auantageth it mee if the dead rise not againe But wée meruel howe the dry rotten bones can bée fetched out of the 〈◊〉 out of the earth and ashes agayne 〈◊〉 that fetcheth the sunne out of his 〈◊〉 euery morning he that quickneth â—he dead moone euery moneth hée that â—â—â—sed Aaron his rod Num. 17.8 that had béene many yéeres dryed in one night to bud â—â—â—ssom and to beare rype Almondes 〈◊〉 also bring the dry bones out of the graue sea and ashes and cause them to â—care ripe and perfect fleshe And why â—hould we doubt that of a rotten body a perfect body may spring since we sée by dayly experience that of rotten corne perfect corne doeth growe and that of rotten séedes and kernels perfect séedes and kernelles doe come Rom. 8.11 If the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwelleth in you euen hée that raysed vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies 1. Cor. 15.22 For as in Adam all do dye so in Christ shall all bée made alyue 1. Cor. 15.49 As wée haue borne the image of the earthy so shall wée beare the image of the heauenly As for the soules after they bée once loosed from the bodies they reigne eyther with Christ or with SataÌ„ eyther in eternâ— glory or in euerlasting sorrow Whicâ— maketh to the vtter subuersion ouerthrow of the popish purgatory of twâ— daÌ„nable opinioÌ„s of twoo sortes of Heretikes the one called Arabici the otheâ— Dormitantij the one affirming that â— soule doeth dye together with the body and that in the resurrection they shall both bée raised vp together The other affirming that the soules doe sléepe till the day of iudgement then to bée awaked and then to receaue either damnation or saluation Both which opinions are most wicked and contrary to scripture For first that the soule liueth that it is immortal and incorruptible after that it is once loosed from the body the examples and testimonies of holy scripture doe declare Dauid no doubt beléeued the immortalitie of the soule For when hée perceaued that the child was dead hée wept no more but saide 2. Sam. 12.23 I shal goe to him but he shal not come againe to mée The widowes sonne of Sarepta fel sicke and dyed and Elias tooke him out of her bosom 1. Reg. 17.19 and laid him on the bed and stretched himâ—â—â—fe vpon the childe thrée tymes and â—â—led vnto the Lord praying that the â—â—â—es soule might come into him aâ—â—â—ne And the Lord heard the voyce of â—e Prophet and the soule of the childe 〈◊〉 into him againe and hée reuiued The soule therfore doeth not dye with â—he body The wyse man sayeth that â—he body which hée nameth dust shall returne to earth as it was Eccles 12.7 but the spirit vnto the Lord that gaue it And in â—he second of Wisdom Wisd